The Come Up

Chapter 49 - Spiteful

"Where's Trisha?" I look at Blaco without moving my head too much as the make up artist brushes my cheeks with bronzer. 

Blaco shrugs. 

"She dropped off your clothes and shoes then left." He says. 

I clench then unclench my fists. I knew she was still upset about the fight and I knew she would stretch it out as she always does. The day flew by as Cece helped me rehearse through skype. Sound check is in 15 minutes and the show starts in less than an hour. There is already a long line wrapped around the venue and I can feel my nerves building even though I know that I am more than ready for this show. 

Blaco looks at my feet which are shaking against the chair.

"Are you alright?" He asks, getting a bottle of water from the refrigerator of the make up room backstage. 

"Yea." I answer. Just that I miss my best friend and I need someone to calm me down or make me laugh during make up. Just that this is a big show and a lot of my fans here are relying on it to be flawless. 

"Are you and Trisha okay?" Blaco asks moving closer to me. 

I shrug then smooth my lips together to disperse the lip gloss that was just placed on them. 

"Does it have something to do with pictures of you and Mila having fun last night?" He questions again. 

I stop breathing momentarily and look at him. 

I didn't know pictures of us were going around. I didn't even know pictures were taken. But then I remember that I did spot some paparazzi in the club while I was getting wasted. 

"What pictures? Let me see." I say to Blaco. 

The make up artist turns my head to the side, then to the other side and tells me to look  in the mirror. I examine my face as she does. 

"Perfect." I say with a smile. "Thank you." 

She nods and leaves the room. 

"Look." Blaco speaks as soon as the door closes. A few paparazzi pictures made it to TMZ. The first one with Mila and I posing for a selfie and the second one of us dancing together. I sigh, relieved that they didn't capture anything I would be embarrassed about. 

"I'm glad you took my advice and went out with her. It's all your fans have been talking about." 

"Yea, she wasn't as bad as I thought." I reply. 

Someone knocks on the door twice. 

"Soundcheck, Chanel." A white lady with a headset speaks into the room. 

As I walk out onto the stage and grab the mic, Blaco takes the DJ through our set list and the first song comes on through the speakers. I look out into the crowd of empty chairs and start my words to "Cursive". I am halfway through when Blaco chimes in on the microphone. 

"Good on that one?" He asks. 

I give a thumbs up and the next song plays. I imagine the place completely packed, which it will be because we managed to sell out tickets fast. The Pop Off Freestyle plays through the speakers and that sounds great too. Nothing without you is the last song but the track doesn't play. 

"Was that it?" Blaco asked confused. 

I put my microphone to my mouth. 

"No, Nothing Without You is the last song." I say confused.